It is known and desirable to be able to take remote control of a device using a computer, for example, for the purposes of trouble shooting or maintenance of the device. In general, this requires the controlling PC and remote control device to be provided with appropriate software to enable the remote control. However, where the connection between the controlling computer and the remote control device is to be provided via the Internet, is often the case that the commands must pass trough a firewall. Conventionally, firewalls are operable to prevent the passage of any messages other than those encoded in a suitable protocol.
An aim of the invention is to provide a new or improved method of controlling a device by the Internet.